The is a Japanese Grade 1 flat race for three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies run over a distance of 2,000 metres (approximately 1 mile 2 furlongs) at the Nakayama Racecourse, Funabashi, Chiba, and scheduled to take place each year at mid April.

History

The Satsuki Shō was first contested in 1939 as over a distance of 1,850 metres at Negishi Racecourse in Yokohama, Kanagawa, and is regarded as the Japanese equivalent of the 2,000 Guineas. (Note that the original 2,000 Guineas is run at 1,609 metres, or one mile, about two furlongs shorter than the Satsuki Shō.)

The race was run at Negishi Racecourse until 1942, but the course was closed due to the World War II in 1943 and it was staged at Tokyo Racecourse over a distance of 1,800 metres until 1944. After a two-year hiatus, the race was resumed at Tokyo Racecourse twice in 1947 and 1948, then it was renamed to the Satsuki Shō and settled at Nakayama Racecourse since 1949. The distance was first set to 1,950 metres, then extended to 2,000 metres in 1950.

It is one of Japan's five Classic races, and it also serves as the opening leg of the Japanese Triple Crown followed by the Tōkyō Yūshun (Japanese Derby) and the Kikuka Shō (Japanese St. Leger).

Trial races Trial races provide automatic berths to the winning horses or placed horses as specified.

+ Race Name Class RacecourseDistance Condition Yayoi Sho (Deep Impact Kinen) GII Nakayama 2,000 meters Top 3 horsesSpring Stakes GII Nakayama 1,800 meters Wakaba Stakes L Hanshin 2,000 meters Top 2 horses

Races listed below does not provide automatic berths, but still important steps for this race.

+ Race Name Class RacecourseDistance Keisei Hai GIII Nakayama 2,000 meters Wakagoma Stakes L Kyoto 2,000 meters Kisaragi Sho GIII Kyoto 1,800 meters Kyodo Tsushin Hai GIII Tokyo 1,800 meters Sumire Stakes L Hanshin 2,200 meters Mainichi Hai GIII Hanshin 1,800 meters

Records

Fastest winning time :  1:56.5 – Lovcen (2026) Slowest winning time : 2:11 2/5 – Dainana Hoshu (1954)

Leading jockey(s) : 4 – Mirco Demuro : Neo Universe (2003), Daiwa Major (2004), Logotype (2013), Duramente (2015)

Leading trainer(s) : 4 – Waichiro Tanaka : St. Lite (1941), Arbeit (1942), Tokino Minoru (1951), Kegon (1955)

Leading owner(s) : 6 – Shadai Race Horse : Dyna Cosmos (1986), Genuine (1995), Neo Universe (2003), Captain Thule (2008), Isla Bonita (2014), Sol Oriens (2023) 6 – Sunday Racing : Unrivaled (2009), Orfevre (2011), Duramente (2015), Al Ain (2017), Geoglyph (2022), Museum Mile (2025)

Winners since 1984 Year Winner Jockey Trainer Owner Time 1984 2:01.1 1985 2:02.1 1986 2:02.1 1987 2:01.9 1988 2:01.3 1989 2:05.2 1990 2:02.2 1991 2:01.8 1992 2:01.4 1993 2:00.2 1994 1:59.0 1995 2:02.5 1996 2:00.7 1997 2:02.0 1998 2:01.3 1999 2:00.7 2000 2:01.8 2001 2:00.3 2002 1:58.5 2003 2:01.2 2004 1:58.6 2005 1:59.2 2006 1:59.9 2007 1:59.9 2008 2:01.7 2009 1:58.7 2010 2:00.8 2011 2:00.6 2012 2:01.3 2013 1:58.0 2014 1:59.6 2015 1:58.2 2016 1:57.9 2017 1:57.8 2018 2:00.8 2019 1:58.1 2020 2:00.7 2021 2:00.6 2022 1:59.7 2023 2:00.6 2024 1:57.1 2025 1:57.0 2026 1:56.5

Earlier winners

1939 - Rock Park 1940 - World Mine 1941 - St. Lite 1942 - Arbeit 1943 - Dielec 1944 - Kuri Yamato 1945 - no race 1946 - no race 1947 - Tokitsukaze 1948 - Hide Hikari 1949 - Tosa Midori 1950 - Kumono Hana 1951 - Tokino Minoru 1952 - Kurino Hana 1953 - Bostonian 1954 - Dainana Hoshu 1955 - Kegon 1956 - Hekiraku 1957 - Kazuyoshi 1958 - Taisei Hope 1959 - Wildeal 1960 - Kodama 1961 - Shin Tsubame 1962 - Yamano O 1963 - Meizui 1964 - Shinzan 1965 - Chitose O 1966 - Nihon Pillow Ace 1967 - Ryuzuki 1968 - Martis 1969 - Wild More 1970 - Tanino Moutiers 1971 - Hikaru Imai 1972 - Land Prince 1973 - Haiseiko 1974 - Kitano Kachidoki 1975 - Kaburaya O 1976 - Tosho Boy 1977 - Hard Berge 1978 - Fantast 1979 - Bingo Garoo 1980 - Hawaiian Image 1981 - Katsu Top Ace 1982 - Azuma Hunter 1983 - Mr. C. B.

See also Horse racing in Japan List of Japanese flat horse races

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